Scout is a development and design practice reimagining how places can be transformed.
In 2011 Scout started in the United Kingdom by bringing a temporary cinema to life in Hackney Wick. The resulting project, Films on Fridges, was called “Britain’s coolest new pop-up cinema” by The Guardian. Other site-specific commissions followed for projects that balanced community engagement and creative activation of otherwise overlooked spaces. These short-term experiments tested long-term aspirations for how a space could develop and evolve, like Watch This Wall and the study of Millicent Fawcett Court.
Through our work exploring temporary ideas, we started to question the role of the public sector and private developer in the transformation of our cities. In 2014 we stumbled upon a list of historic schools for sale and submitted a bid where the infrastructure could be thoughtfully reused to support a creative community. In this way we became accidental developers of Bok, and this old school has become our blueprint for how adaptive reuse projects can support and renew their surrounding communities.
Since Bok, we have designed and created exciting pop-up installation work and begun new adaptive reuse endeavors. We aim to take on future projects of long-term and short-term use that are thoughtful, community-driven, and unexpected in our role as developers, designers, advisors, and collaborators.
Our project approach
Community-Focused
Community development and engagement is a core part of our practice, priorities, and value system.
Design-Forward
We have a well defined skillset and vision, and are more than a cut-and-paste developer.
Thoughtful Choices
We are selective with our projects. When we take on a project, we are on-site and respond to the environment.
Playful + Creative
We find ways to allow for exploration, play, and open-ended thinking.
Our Goals
To encourage the well-being of our communities
To encourage playfulness and creativity, and to design great spaces
To balance economic viability with community-focused goals
To take on non-traditional assets to allow for non-traditional uses
To create spaces of experimentation and allow concepts to ideate + change
